


500 words you should know: #70 Churlish – for Fire_Sign

by Shamashe



Category: Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries
Genre: Constabulary power struggle, F/M, Mild Threat, Sarcasm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-18
Updated: 2015-11-18
Packaged: 2018-05-02 06:02:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5237090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shamashe/pseuds/Shamashe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack steps up for Phryne by exerting his authority</p>
            </blockquote>





	500 words you should know: #70 Churlish – for Fire_Sign

**Author's Note:**

> OK, this is what happens in the 15 minutes following the statement, “That’s a hard word to apply to Phryne or Jack!”

Churlish  
churl·ish  
adjective  
: suggests surliness, unresponsiveness and ungraciousness  
: marked by a lack of civility, not polite  
: vulgar characteristics  
: difficult to work with or deal with

 

Phryne gasped and furiously slammed her purse on the desk, jerking her arm away from the Constable’s grasp. “Why you arrogant, uncouth, bast…” 

“Miss Fisher?” 

“Jack?” 

“What are you doing here?” they said together.

Jack addressed the Constable, “What is this about?” 

Gates could see that this man was of some authority, but didn’t know who he was. Perhaps a solicitor? In an attempt to look important, he puffed up to make his point. 

“I was just informing,” Constable Gates paused and flipped through a pile of papers, “Miss Fisher here, that she could not see my prisoner before he is processed.”

“And I was ‘informing’ Constable Gates, that I have a perfect right to see my client.” 

“Constable?” Jack raised his eyebrow.

“Yes, well, Miss Fisher here barged into the office and tried to slip past the guard, claiming that she was a duly authorized representative of the Victoria Police. She claimed that she was authorized by,” Constable Gates paused again and flipped through his papers, “One, Detective Inspector Jack Robinson, but that’s not possible. I talked to DI Robinson just this morning and he said nothing about granting Miss Fisher rights to see my prisoner.” 

Jack looked between Phryne and the Constable, thinking back to the time when he had needed to “arrest her for her own good,” when she struggled with him and stomped on his foot, trying to get past him to go after Murdock Foyle. She was furious at being stopped then and was equally as furious now. And clearly, something besides being stopped had created it. Overhearing them and looking at the Constable, he could imagine several reasons for her fury.

“I simply told the Constable that he was interfering with an official investigation that superseded his drunk and disorderly arrest.” Then Phryne said under her breath, “But given that he doesn’t understand the word superseded...” Jack put a hand on the small of her back to caution her and hold her back if need be. 

The Constable looked up and frowned at Phryne, who was starting to move towards the lockup doors again. Then looked Jack up and down like he was equally suspect. He finally said to Jack, “And just who might you be?”

Jack flipped open his credentials and said sarcastically, “One, Detective Inspector Jack Robinson, Constable,” he opened his notebook and readied his pen, “Gates, was it?”

Suddenly contrite, Gates began to stammer. “Ah yes, Sir, it is, Sir. How can I help you, Sir?” His uniform almost came unbuttoned in his rush to pull himself together. 

“Well, Constable, you can ‘help’ by showing more courtesy and adopting a more professional manner with this lady and she is, in fact, a ‘Lady.’ Perhaps, you missed her introduction, Gates?” Jack said dryly, “I’m sure I would have mentioned her to you when we ‘talked’ this morning.” 

“May I present The Honorable Miss Phryne Fisher, Private Investigator and duly authorized representative of the Victoria Police Department, Detective Division, City South. She reports to me, by the way.” Jack gave a rather nasty smile to the Constable as he purposefully scribbled in his notebook. Phryne would later see that he had drawn a cartoon face of the churlish Constable Gates. 

“Yes, Sir.” Constable Gates then straightened and looked at Phryne with a guarded expression. He extended his hand and said, “I apologize for any offense, Miss Fisher. What can I do for you?” 

Phryne grudgingly received his handshake with the briefest of contact. “You can allow me to see my client, Constable.”

Gates nodded to the officer standing nearby, who was trying to suppress a grin. “Right this way, ma’am.” Phryne looked back at Jack and gave him a brief nod as she followed the officer to the holding cells.

Jack addressed Constable Gates, who was nearly standing at attention. “I should put you on report, Gates, but I will let it go for now. I have, in fact, heard of you - though as you are well aware, we did not speak this morning. If you continue to demonstrate insubordination, I will take action. And you can be sure, Constable, that Miss Fisher will swear out a report that will seal your fate if it should ever come to that.”

“Now if you will be so kind as to release your prisoner into my custody, I will be transporting him back to City South personally, where he is, in fact, part of an investigation that does supersede your D and D. Can I assume you will see to that paperwork right away?” Gates nodded. “And Gates, it had better be in good order!” Jack’s snap of command actually made Gates flinch. 

“Yes, Sir. It will be, Sir.” Gates swallowed.

“Very well, inform Miss Fisher that I will be waiting for her.” Constable Gates turned and quickly walked away. Jack very nearly smiled. Sometimes, he actually enjoyed asserting his rank. "Now, to find out why Miss Fisher really was here." At that thought, he did smile. Digging for the truth, could actually be fun sometimes. He looked forward to the challenge of her story.


End file.
